misrepresentation & harmful stereotypes in mediaPop culture and media have thrived off of harmful stereotypes and problematic portrayals of minorities for decades. The intersection of race and gender has caused Asian women, specifically, to become easy targets. Whether it is in plays, movies, or stories, Asian women have been split into two categories: meek and submissive, or rebellious and mysterious. This means that the character development/storylines of these women are never explored, oftentimes because they are misrepresented by writers who don’t do the characters justice. These surface level and stereotypical portrayals of Asian women strip them of their humanity, leading to hypersexualization. However, in recent years, movies with Asian casts and writers have begun to break stereotypes. In September, an Asian centered Marvel film titled “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” was released. Breaking viewing records, it is known for its memorable characters and representation of the Asian community. The movie is centered upon Shang-Chi, played by Simu Liu, but another notable character is Xialing, played by Meng’er Zhang. Instead of playing into tropes, the movie does an excellent job of representing characters. Zhang’s representation of Xialing challenged these stereotypes. Instead of falling into Hollywood’s stereotypical “rebellious Asian” role, she worked with the director to unravel the trope. One way she did this was with her appearance. Zhang worked to combat the “rebel” stereotype by changing her character's portrayal, requesting the originally red streaked hair for her character to become black. Although it might be an obscure detail, oftentimes Asian women who are considered “rebellious” are portrayed with colored streaks in their hair to differentiate themselves. Not only does it enforce the stereotypes that Asian women with natural or black hair are docile; it exotifies any Asian woman with dyed hair. The misrepresentation of Asian women goes far beyond looks. Western media perpetuates the stereotypes of Asian women being sexualized objects with no intrinsic value. Their roles only matter in relation to other characters. Shang-Chi accurately explores a new perspective, one where the femininity of Asian women is associated with strength, becoming a characteristic that should not be alienated or condemned. Xialing has deep ties with her family and these relationships are further explored, causing her to grow as an individual. This is acknowledged in multiple instances throughout the film, but it is especially noticeable when it is revealed that Xialing runs her own fight club. When she initially appears in the film, her character is presented as a strong, fierce, unstoppable female. She has her own fight club, a father who doesn't care about her, and a brother who abandoned her, but “nevertheless she persisted”, a slogan that the media never portrays Asian women with. Another stereotype that was unraveled related to the power disparity in the roles Asian women were expected to live up to as opposed to Asian males. In fact, there was a moment in the film where Xialing was discouraged from learning how to fight because her father pushed her away from it, only encouraging and supporting her brother. This unjust depiction of power between the two shows how Asian women are usually seen as submissive or only fit to play the role of the love interest. These same ideals are then expressed frequently, characterized in the media. In fact, Western media often portrays Asian women as weak or incapable. In doing so, they undermine their worth as well as how younger Asian women perceive themselves. From watching movies to scrolling through social media, Asian women usually only fit a specific image. Audiences assume that these stereotypes are natural and funny, completely ignoring how demeaning they are to Asian women. They don’t evaluate their preconceptions because they’re taught that this submissive portrayal of Asian women is normal. This perpetual portrayal has also led to a fetishization and sexualization that has ultimately caused Asian women to be targets of violence. In March of 2021, there were shootings at spas in Atlanta that resulted in the death of eight people, six of whom were Asian women. This terrible and cruel shooting was not an isolated event. Asian women have been subjected to many forms of violence, yet the perpetuation of their “docile” and “submissive” behaviors in media have caused their burdens to be ignored. As the entertainment industry grows and diversifies its representation for marginalized communities, it is crucial to hold filmmakers and writers accountable for their use of racist and harmful stereotypes. Shang-Chi is an excellent stepping stone for Asian representation, though it is important to keep striving for more complex portrayals of minorities throughout media. More accurate and widespread representation will allow for the empowerment of communities and pave the way for future generations to be able to see themselves through their heroes and heroines. For Asian women specifically, progress towards taking back their humanity from Western media is a major breakthrough. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is hopefully just the beginning to amplifying our voices, so if you haven’t done so already, go and check the movie out!
22 Comments
9/12/2022 06:44:19 am
Really informative article, I had the opportunity to learn a lot, thank you. https://odemebozdurma.com/
Reply
9/30/2022 05:30:15 am
It's great to have this type of content. Good luck with your spirit. Thank you. https://bit.ly/site-kurma
Reply
10/5/2022 07:06:14 pm
I follow your posts closely. I can find it thanks to your reliable share. Thank you. https://escortnova.com/escort-ilanlari/nevsehir-escort/hacibektas-escort/
Reply
11/21/2022 07:37:53 pm
Sitemizi ziyaret et ve evden is imkanina bak: https://sites.google.com/view/evden-ek-is/
Reply
12/9/2022 06:53:11 pm
Uygun fiyatlardan takipçi satın al: https://takipcialdim.com/
Reply
12/9/2022 09:54:55 pm
Garantili Tiktok takipçi satın al: https://takipcialdim.com/tiktok-takipci-satin-al/
Reply
12/9/2022 09:55:46 pm
instagram beğeni satın al: https://takipcialdim.com/instagram-begeni-satin-al/
Reply
12/15/2022 05:18:26 pm
uygun fiyatlardan takipçi Hemen Göz At: https://takipcim.com.tr/
Reply
12/19/2022 10:23:42 pm
İnstagram takipçi satın almak istiyorsan tıkla.
Reply
1/5/2023 05:20:43 am
100 tl deneme bonusu veren siteleri öğrenmek istiyorsan tıkla.
Reply
5/11/2023 09:18:21 am
Heets Çeşitlerine Göz At: https://bit.ly/heets-heets
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Categories
All
Year ARchive
February 2023
|